Tips from Oxygen Magazine

   I like flipping through fitness magazines. Runner's World, Men's Health, Women's Health, Self, and the late, lamented Running Times. You stay current on trends, can pick up new exercises to incorporate with clients, and generally increase your base of knowledge with quick, informational tips. Often the advise is contradictory. In a typical issue of Runner's World, you'll be told in one article to run no more than every other day. In  the next, it might suggest two runs a day to kick up your training. The key, of course, is to know what is right for you; based on your fitness background, history of injuries or illnesses, age, and particular goals.
   I recently had an hour to read through a back issue (Feb. 2015, to be exact) of Oxygen Magazine. Here's some "bullets" I pulled from it.
   *Marketed to women readers, a fan wrote in to compliment Oxygen for portraying women as strong and independent. In other words, "Strength is Sexy!"
   *Another reader wrote how much a good mental attitude helped in her workouts and daily life. To quote "positivity breeds more positivity!" I agree!
    *From the Fitness News section: Your risk of stroke drops 50% if you maintain a healthy diet and active lifestyle, according to the American Academy of Neurology.
     *The differences between a full-body workout and a split routine was discussed. The conclusion was their is no one best way. Whether you would do one exercise each for your entire body, or mix up on a push-pull or upper-lower basis depended on numerous factors like how many times a week you have to lift; the time you have for each individual workout; and your goals. Compound movements were recommended, and a point was made to change your routine regularly to avoid plateauing and staleness.
      *A 20-minute treadmill workout recommended bringing the grade up to 10% (that's tough) for five minutes to maximize calorie burn and improve overall performance. I agree, but use this rule. If the fastest you run at 2% grade is 8.0, don't go above 5.0 (12 minute mile) at 10%. It's that challenging!
     *An article entitled "Motivation Makeover" pointed out that finding something that you love to do is the greatest catalyst for change. I agree. Try different aspects of fitness: weight training, running, yoga, or biking, for example. See which one you enjoy the most, and the one that you're body responds to. Stick with what you like, and go back to some of those others as a change of pace or mode of over-use injury prevention. The greatest exercise is one that you will continue to do!
  *Eat breakfast! (I've read this many times).  Among a research pool of 10,000 individuals in the National Weight Control Registry, 78% of those who have lost a significant amount of weight, and kept it off, ate breakfast every day.
 *Stand up! According to the magazine, if you make no other changes other than standing, rather than sitting, over a period of a year you will lose an extra five pounds of fat! This is based on a weight of 135 lbs., standing five days per week, for 50 weeks. If your starting weight is more, you will lose more. Get up, stand up, stand up for your health!
 *"Five Days Clean, Two Days Cheat" is an okay eating plan if your looking to maintain weight. If your looking to lose, you may want to limit your indulgence to one meal each day on the weekend. Otherwise, you may be losing and gaining the same three pounds every week.
*On the other end of that spectrum, many women athletes under fuel.They say to trust your appetite, and listen to your body's hunger signals like a grumbling stomach or salivating mouth. Under fueling can lead to under-performance, as well as chronic fatigue, soreness, anxiety, insomnia, increased chance of injury, and more. Exercise, enjoy a balanced, nutritious diet, and try to enjoy what life has to offer!